Solskjaer serves young guns a message as Romero makes Man Utd vow

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has welcomed the breathing space afforded to him after two positive results – but insists he’s looking for another positive result despite picking a youthful side for their Europa League Group L finale.

The last week has been one of notable success for Manchester United, the type that would traditionally be automatically associated with them.

Victories over Tottenham and more significantly their neighbours and current champions Manchester City have lifted the spirits of supporters and eased the pressure on the manager.

But whilst the two teams that they have conquered in the past seven days have held Champions League press conferences this week, United’s own media gathering adorned in Europa League marketing material serves as a blunt reminder of how far the three times champions of Europe need to go to return to the top table.

The Old Trafford club host AZ Alkmaar on Thursday evening on the up. United have already qualified for the knock-out stages of the competition and a draw here will be enough to advance as Group L winners, but when asked if he was actually bothered about winning the group, Ole Gunner Solskjaer was clear in his intentions.

He said: “Of course I’m bothered. I’m not going to send these boys out and say I don’t care if you win or lose. Every time you play for Man United is a chance to prove to yourself and to your teammates, to me and to the supporters that you deserve to be part of this for a long time.

“We won this trophy a few years ago and it’s a great tournament. For me I’ve enjoyed it with Molde, I’m enjoying it now and or course, we’re hoping to go all the way.”

United’s upturn in results has given Solskjaer welcome breathing space, at a time when manager’s around him such as Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery have fallen on their swords.

But if question marks still linger over the Norwegian’s capability to drive United forward, he claims that none of them are internal.

He said: “Inside we’ve always had belief that what we’re doing is the right thing, so it might change the perception on the outside but then results – you can’t control that. It could have been two draws, it could’ve been 4-0 wins. That’s just the nature of football, sometimes you’ve got the margins on your side.

“I think the decision we made by sending a young team to Astana made the players that stayed here have more energy and be really ready for this week, because it was a hard week.”

United will again be without Paul Pogba, as he continues to recover from an ankle injury, but welcome Nemanja Matic back into the squad, who is likely to start in midfield.

Solskjaer addressed speculation on Pogba’s future during his presser and also had his say on the club’s ability to attract the game’s biggest stars.

 

Solskjaer was joined at his press conference by Sergio Romero and the Argentinian goalkeeper – who can expect to play on Thursday – was quizzed on what it is like spending most of the season playing second fiddle to David De Gea.

He said: “It is not easy, but I work every day for my possibility. When I have my chance to play I am ready for this moment.

“That last fours has been for me a difficult situation but I am ready. When you have David in front – in the last year David is the best goalkeeper in the world and this is difficult. But I am happy. I am at the best club in the world.

“When I was young I saw Manchester United many times and I said one day I want to play in this club. I am here, when I have my chance I do my best.”

Progression in this year’s Europa League is vital for Manchester United, if they are to keep alive any hopes of securing a route into next year’s Champions League.

Topping Group L on Thursday night will allow them to avoid the likes of Inter Milan in the early knock-out stages and keep, what is a long journey, on course.

Solskjaer, meanwhile, has blasted the racist abuse aimed at two of his stars at the Etihad and explained why the duo are “exactly the same as me”.